The outcome of the Backyard Brawl was in the hands - or more specifically on the foot - of a redshirt freshman and Tyler Bitancurt wasn't about to mess up his perfect night.
The following series was originally published in early spring 2009. Part 1 and Part 2 are updated given the developments that transpired during the year.
Some things in the game of football are universal. Whether we are talking about the NFL, the UFL, or College a few things always seem to hold true. The first of those things it is near impossible to beat one football team three times in a given season, the next is completing an undefeated season is next to impossible to do. Earlier today the Las Vegas Locos of the UFL defeated the previously undefeated Florida Tuskers to win the first UFL championship.
What can we say about a one sided loss on national TV? Last Sunday everyone in Detroit was ready to pronounce rookie QB Matthew Stafford as the next John Elway. Yesterday he looked like the next Jay Cutler more than anything else. The more and more we see Stafford play the more and more we realize that he looks like a QB who is always going to throw as many Interceptions and he does touchdowns.
After every bad Turkey Day blowout, there seems to be a sentiment nationally that the Detroit Lions do not deserve to have a Thanksgiving Day game televised on National TV. To be fair I must inform all of you that I lie in Detroit, have followed the Lions since I was a kid, and have attended several Thanksgiving Day games at the Pontiac Silverdome, and at Ford Field.
This is potentially very, very bad news for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Starting QB Ben Roethlisberger has a concussion and we will not know how that will affect him until he takes the field Sunday night at Baltimore. However we do know that his backup, Charlie Batch, broke his wrist last Sunday versus the Kansas City Chiefs, and will not be able to play for 2-4 weeks.
Larry Brown has a message for Allen Iverson : don't give up. Iverson's former coach said Friday he thinks the 10-time All-Star "still has a passion to play" and shouldn't retire.
Juan Martin del Potro ended Andy Murray's hopes of progressing to the semi-finals of the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals with a 6-2 6-7 6-3 victory over Roger Federer at the O2 Arena.
Manny Harris had 20 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds to lead No. 15 Michigan to an 83-76 overtime win over Creighton at the Old Spice Classic on Thursday.
